After a positive doping test
IOC wants to prevent Valiyeva from taking off
2/11/2022 5:02 am
The IOC is taking action against the lifting of the Russian anti-doping agency’s provisional suspension of figure skater Valieva. The International Court of Arbitration for Sports should also have the 15-year-old Russian’s right to start checked in the Olympic individual competition.
The International Olympic Committee will not accept the lifting of a suspension of Russian figure skater Kamila Valiyeva for a doping violation. As the International Testing Agency Ita announced on Friday, it will appeal to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas on behalf of the IOC. The 15-year-old European champion competed in the team competition at the Winter Games and won the gold medal with Russia.
According to Ita, Valiyeva tested positive for the heart drug trimetazidine on December 25, 2021 at the Russian Figure Skating Championships and was initially temporarily suspended by the national anti-doping agency Rusada. The Rusada Disciplinary Committee lifted the suspension on February 9 after Valiyeva appealed, paving the way for an Olympic start. The IOC now wants to clarify before the Cas before the short program in women’s singles in Beijing on February 15th.
The fuss began when the Olympic organizers canceled the medal ceremony for the team competition, which was actually planned for Tuesday, without giving any further reasons. The IOC initially spoke of a “legal procedure” that it could not comment on. IOC spokesman Mark Adams described media reports about a doping case as “speculation” on Thursday.
Russian athletes do not compete for Russia
The industry portal “insidethegames” had previously reported that the Russian Valiewa was at the center of the case. Russian media had reported that it should be about taking the drug trimetazidine. The stimulant is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list. Russia’s athletes are also under particular scrutiny in Beijing. The country is blocked because of the scandal of state-organized doping and the cover-up of sports fraud, as it was at the Summer Games in Tokyo. The Russian athletes may only compete as representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). The Russian anthem may not be played and the flag may not be hoisted at award ceremonies.
Super talent Valiyeva is one of the most prominent faces among Russian athletes at the Winter Games. She only made her adult debut this season and won the European Championship title in January. In the Olympic team competition, she had won the women’s freestyle by a clear margin, making her the top favorite for the individual competition.